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Indiana city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Gary?

What it costs to live in Gary, and how it compares with other Indiana cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

55

25th best value in Indiana

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Indiana cities.

Overall livability

46

34th overall in Indiana

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Gary is home to about 69,739 people. A typical home runs $70,600 and a household earns around $34,100, a price-to-income ratio of 2.1. Among Indiana's largest cities, it ranks 25th for value and 34th overall.

Gary at a glance

Median home price

$70,600

10th in IN of 62

Median rent

$848/mo

Median household income

$34,100

Home price to income

2.1x

Unemployment

12.8%

62nd in IN of 62

School rating

1/10

59th in IN of 62

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in IN of 62

Walk score

7/100

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‹ See all top Indiana cities ranked  ยท  Indiana state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Indiana only. Updated 2026.